


Can't Wait Any Longer

by IBoatedHere



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Engagement, Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, Graduation, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-17 07:09:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9310739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IBoatedHere/pseuds/IBoatedHere
Summary: Bitty is in the kitchen, unsurprisingly.The guys are out on the porch. Nursey has just stepped through a weak patch by the stairs and Dex is cursing at him, telling him he just fixed that. Shitty hauls him out and says “you didn’t do a very good job, bro.”It’s light and warm outside and Bitty should be out there laughing with his friends but he’s alone with his fingertips dragging across the metal handle of his oven.His gown is draped over one of the chairs but he still has his cap on.





	

Bitty is in the kitchen, unsurprisingly.

The guys are out on the porch. 

Nursey has just stepped through a weak patch by the stairs and Dex is cursing at him, telling him he just fixed that. Shitty hauls him out and says “you didn’t do a very good job, bro.”

It’s light and warm outside and Bitty should be out there laughing with his friends but he’s alone with his fingertips dragging across the metal handle of his oven.

His gown is draped over one of the chairs but he still has his cap on.

“Hey,” Jack says. Bitty doesn’t jump at the sound of his voice but doesn’t turn around either. Jack takes one more look out the front door. Dex has Nursey in a headlock and Chowder looks very concerned about it and Jack takes another step towards Bitty. “Are you almost ready to go? The guys want to go celebrate and we have to meet our parents in two hours so….”

“Why did you buy this for me?” Bitty asks softly. When he turns around there’s mid-afternoon light falling around him from the window. His bow tie is a little crooked and his hair is pushed up in the front from being tackled by Shitty and Holster as soon as the Class of ‘17 was released from their seats.

They’ve been together for two years and Jack can’t read the expression on his face. It’s terrifying.

“Jack?”

“You needed an oven.”

“So it was just because I needed it?”

“Yeah, I mean- I thought it would make you happy? It did, didn’t it?”

“Oh, honey.” He pauses and wraps his fingers around the handle. “You know it did. It does. Every time I use it I think of you and I’m so in love with you….”

He trails off and Jack takes another step towards him. The noise from outside fades away. “Then why do you look so sad?”

“Because now I have to leave it,” Bitty blurts out and Jack starts to tell him that there’s another oven, a bigger and better oven in his apartment, but Bitty just plows on. “I have to leave all of this. My oven and the school and the Haus. My frogs. So much happened here. I met all my best friends. I met you.” He taps his fingers against the sink. I fell in love with you right here and now I have to leave it.”

His voice breaks and Jack rushes over and wraps his arms around him and whispers comforting words into his hair.

“I know it’s hard, Bittle, I know it is. But I haven’t been able to shake these guys yet and neither will you. You think Shitty is going to let you go? You think Chowder will? You can come back and visit.”

“It’s not going to be the same.”

It’s not and Jack’s not about to lie to him. He knows how he felt in the run up to graduation; so afraid that everything would fall through before it even had a chance to work. He spent many sleepless night staring up at the ceiling thinking that maybe all this was a mistake. That he should have pushed himself harder. He should have done more. Maybe coming here made him soft and he built this cocoon of support around himself that he never really deserved and he wouldn’t survive without it.

It wasn’t until he he was kissing the ice with Shitty, and then later kissing Bittle, did he realize that he didn’t have to. His softness and his support was going to follow him no matter what.

Jack squeezes him a little tighter when he feels Bitty heave a big sigh.

“I’ll buy you another oven,” He says, mostly as a joke and Bitty laughs wetly against the side of his neck. “I’ll buy you a dozen more ovens, anything I can do to make you happy, Bits, I’ll do it.”

Bitty takes a few breaths. Jack can feel his back rise and fall beneath his hand. 

“Marry me.”

Neither of them say anything and for a brief moment Jack thinks maybe he’s the one that’s said it. It’s been living there right on the tip of his tongue for months. _Years._

But then Bitty is stepping back and looking up at him with wide eyes. 

Jack doesn’t let him go too far. He keeps his hands on Bitty’s sides, finger curling into the starchy material of his brand new dress shirt. 

“I didn’t mean to do it like this. I wasn’t going to do it here but I can’t wait any longer. I don’t even have a ring. Not that I could even afford to get you a ring but….” 

Jack watches Bitty’s eyes dart back and forth across his face before they slam shut and he covers his face with his hands. 

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, Jack. I don’t know what I was thinking asking you something like that right now when I’m like this. That’s not fair.”

He tries to twist away but Jack keeps a hold on him. 

“Just forget I said anything, please? Let's go get the boys and get frozen yogurt or something.” 

Jack slowly takes a knee. “Bits?”

Bitty shakes his head and presses his fingertips into his eyes. Jack reaches up and gently pulls both hands away from his face, wrapping his fingers around Bitty’s elbows and sliding up to his wrists. He can feel Bitty’s pulse jumping wildly beneath the skin. 

When Bitty opens his eyes they’re watery with unshed tears. When he sees Jack down on one knee they finally start to fall. 

“Eric.”

“Jack, you really don’t have to.”

Jack tangles their fingers together. “This wasn’t how I was going to do this either and I don’t have a ring for you, yet, but I’ll get you one. I’ll get one for both of us.”

“Jack,” Bitty says, breathless and swaying just a little on his feet. 

“Will you marry me? Because I want to marry you.” 

Bitty opens his mouth but nothing comes out but a hiccuping breath so he settles for nodding his head.

Jack’s pushing himself up to his feet to hug him and kiss him and-

“Holy shit.” Shitty is standing in the doorway. He takes a look at them, Bitty crying and smiling and Jack still mostly down on one knee. “ _Holy fucking shit_. Holy shit, you guys.”

“Shitty,” Jack warns because he knows what’s coming. 

“I claim best man!” He yells and then barrels forward, catching both of them around the shoulders in a hug. 

It’s awkward. Jack tips over and Shitty drags Bitty down with him and the yelling and general commotion have drawn the rest of the team in and soon they’re all on a pile on the floor. 

Jack has Dex’s bony elbow in his face and Bitty is getting his hair aggressively ruffled by Ransom and Holster. He thinks Lardo is crying as she hugs Chowder and Tango looks like he’s not sure what’s going on but he’s happy to be included. 

People climb off of them, one by one, until it’s just Shitty star-fished on top. 

“I’m so happy for you two,” he says, “I’m fucking thrilled.”

Finally Lardo hauls him off and it’s just the two of them catching their breaths on the kitchen floor. 

Jack reaches over and takes Bitty’s left hand in his right. He rubs his thumb over the empty space that’ll soon be covered by a ring. 

Bitty pushes himself up on one elbow and leans over Jack’s chest, presses their lip together. 

It creates a deafening number of chirps but it doesn’t matter. 

_They’re getting married. And that’s all that does._


End file.
